Currently high end mobile electronic telephones take the form of smartphones, which have only a small number (e.g., one or two) physical buttons but have a large touch screen display, through which a user using several touch gestures is able to operate basic telephone functionality such as sending and receiving telephone calls as well as operate a variety of manufacturer provided and third party software applications (‘apps’). While most of the tactile user interaction with such smartphones is via virtual controls (e.g., buttons, keyboards, keypads) that are emulated on the touch screen display, such smartphones do retain a few actual physical buttons. One such button is the power button and another that is typically provided is a volume control rocker button. In keeping with the current design trend and in order to avoid placement of components on the front of the device that would limit the fraction of the front of the device available for the display, certain physical buttons such as the volume control rocker button and power button have been located on side edges of the device. Such side edge buttons are slim, and protrude out of the housing of the device by only a small amount and they can be difficult to locate by feel, as might be convenient in dimly lit location. In fact due to their location and diminutive size they may sometimes not be readily located by sight in a well lit room.
FIG. 19 shows a prior art smartphone 1900. The prior art smartphone 1900 includes a rear housing part 1902 connected to a front housing part 1904. A front surface 1906 of the smartphone 1900 accommodates a touch screen display 1908 which occupies a large fraction of the front surface 1906. An earpiece speaker port 1910 is located on the front surface 1906 of the smartphone 1900 above the touch screen display 1908. A loudspeaker port 1912 is located on the front surface 1906 of the smartphone 1900 below the touch screen display 1908. A slim, low profile power button 1914 and a slim, low profile, volume control rocker button 1916 are located on a side edge 1918 of the smartphone 1900.
Certain recently produced tablet computers have outward mechanical designs that are basically scaled-up versions of smartphones including a touch screen which occupies a large fraction of the front of the device and a limited number of small edge-mounted physical buttons.
It would be desirable to provide a physical button for a mobile telephone or tablet computer that requires no or limited extra allocation of space on the front of the device so as not to limit the space available for the display, and that is more readily located by sight or touch and in some cases is so situated that its purpose is intuitively apprehended based on its location.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments set forth in the present disclosure.